Rahane seeks Amre's help to prepare for gruelling SA conditions

Ajinkya Rahane wants to ensure that he leaves no stone unturned in his preparations for the much-awaited tour of South Africa.

Bring them on! Ajinkya Rahane during a net session at the Wankhede yesterday. Pic/Atul Kamble

The middle order batsman, who has been included in the Test and one-day squads, has chosen to take the help of his former Mumbai coach Pravin Amre to prepare for the challenges ahead.

It was an easy decision for Rahane as he shares a good rapport with Amre. But more crucially, he has sought advice from a batsman who struck a century on debut at Durban way back in 1992.

“We have been working on finer adjustments. It is about minor corrections here and there in his batting that will help him get equipped to South African conditions,” Amre told MiD DAY yesterday.

Pravin Amre

Rahane, who is yet to cement his place in India’s playing XI, said he has been practicing with different balls under Amre’s watchful eyes for the past 10 days. “I have been practicing with wet balls as well as plastic balls with Amre sir. That should help me in South Africa,” said Rahane.

Amre said the purpose of practicing with different balls is to get used to the pace. “With these balls the reaction time for a batsman is less. I am bowling to him from 18 yards and not 22. This will help his eyes get accustomed to the pace,” explained Amre.

Amre has tried to give his inputs on how to dominate the Proteas attack. “It is always taught here to play in the V (mid-on and mid-off regions). It is not about survival.

If you have to dominate the attack in South Africa, you have to be good while playing with the horizontal bat. Playing on the back foot will be very crucial. It is about getting the right body balance as well,” observed Amre.